In The Dark
by butterflyxwings
Summary: Tsukiko is a quiet girl who keeps to herself, but what happens when Mori begins to  find out her darkest secret, and informs Hikaru Hitachiin about it, who would never admit to himself that he has a crush on her.
1. Chapter 1

She ran down the sidewalk, black locks sticking to her face like glue. Footsteps sounded behind her and her adrenaline picked up, pumping her heart fast against her chest. 'No, please, don't let him catch me!' She thought desperately, tears stinging her eyes. She looked back over her shoulder, trying to peer through the pouring rain. She couldn't see anything, but she could hear him gaining on her fast. It was then that she tripped over something. A slice of pain shot through her hand as she tried to catch herself. She went sprawling onto the cold, wet cement. She cried out in pain as a fist knotted in her hair, jerking her to her feet. She was slammed up against the iron fence, the cold bars freezing her skin through her sopping clothing.

"You think you can run from me?" A voice growled in her ear. She couldn't form words, they escaped her as fear clawed down her throat. "Answer me, you little bitch!" He yelled, shaking her. "N-n-no, sir." She replied in a small, unsteady voice. "Don't you lie to me!" He roared, wrapping his thick hands around her throat, cutting off her air supply. Her tiny fingers grabbed at his, trying to pry them off her, but to no avail, he was just too strong. "D-d-da-" Was all she managed to choke out before the darkness swallowed her whole.

Slowly, her eyes shined open. Sitting up, she realized she was back in her room, underneath her familiar warm blankets. 'Perhaps it was a dream?' Was the first thought she had, then as the burning in her throat registered, she knew that it had been reality. She sighed heavily, an overwhelming depression wrapping it's ugly claws around her. She swallowed back her tears, wincing at the pain she felt. She would not cry over him, she would never let herself cry over him. "He's not worth it." She whispered to herself as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed.

She hopped into the shower, washing away the black memories from last night, and dressed in her hideous yellow uniform. She looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair cascaded down around her face in black rivulets, contrasting heavily with her pale skin. Her dark eyes were always drowned in sorrow that no one ever saw. A deep, dark purple bruise encircled her slender neck in the form of two hands. 'I can't go to school looking like this.' She thought to herself as she began to dig through her drawers.

After a few minutes of looking, she found a thick, white ribbon that matched her outfit. "Yamashita-san, you're going to be late!" The voice of one of the maids called. "I'm coming!" She yelled back, quickly tying the ribbon around her neck. She grabbed her school bag and ran out of her room, through the vast halls with the marble floors and cathedral ceilings.

When she reached the grand staircase she spotted a maid at the bottom, holding her lunch. She quickly descended and grabbed her lunch as she passed. "Arigatou!" She called over her shoulder as the door was opened for her and she quickly skipped out. A butler opened the door to the limo for her and she slid in. As the sleek, black vehicle pulled away from her grand estate, she realized she hadn't had time to eat breakfast. She wouldn't think of the reason why though, she wanted to get through this day without any complications.

When she arrived in front of Ouran academy she thanked the driver and let herself out. She took a deep breath, putting on her daily façade, ready to face the world behind her lie. The day went by smoothly as planned, until lunch period came around. She sat down by herself, seeing as she didn't spot any of her odd friends yet. For that, she was a little thankful, she wanted to be alone today before they bombarded her after school, when she would have club activities. She was about to begin eating when a voice stopped her.

"Hey, Tsukiko-san, what happened to your hand?" For a moment she didn't know what she was talking about. "Oh, that. It's nothing, I just tripped and scraped it, Yumi-san." She answered, hiding her shame and sorrow behind her usual mask of indifference. "Oh, alright." Yumi said, turning back to her friends.

Tsukiko stared down at her food, she suddenly didn't feel so hungry, and she had been salivating only minutes before. Sighing heavily, she got up and threw her lunch away. As she was turning, she bumped into someone. "Sorry." She mumbled and looked up to be met by a pair of emotionless obsidian eyes. "Oh, Mori-senpai, Hunny-senpai." She greeted. "Hi, Tsu-chan!" Hunny said in his usual cheerful, childish voice. She was about to open her mouth to say something when someone brushed forcefully by her, causing her to fall into the duo. A snicker came as the girl began to walk away. "I'm really sorry." Tsukiko said as Mori steadied her. "Hey, that wasn't very nice!" Hunny said. The girl turned and smirked. "Sorry, I guess I didn't see her there." She said snidely. That stung a bit. Even though Tsukiko didn't mind being alone, in fact, she loved it, that was just another reminder that she was the black sheep of the school.

The girl's eyes shifted towards the taller one of the pair, and she scurried away at the glare he sent her. "Are you alright?" Hunny asked her. "Yea, I'm fine, thanks. You really didn't have to do that." she told them. "Of course we did, she wasn't being nice. I told you, as long as we're around, we won't let anyone push you around." He reminded her. "Thanks, guys." She said, the shadow of a smile on her lips. "Come sit with us." Hunny said, dragging her over to their table by the hand.

She sat across from them, quiet as usual. "Why aren't you eating, Tsu-chan?" Hunny asked between bites. "Well, I just…wasn't hungry." She answered. "Do you want some of my food?" He asked, holding out a forkful to her. "No thanks, Hunny-senpai." She gently refused. "Alright." He said and stuffed the food in his mouth. She sat quietly like she always did, her head resting in her injured hand, thinking no one would notice it then, but Hunny did.

"What happened to your hand, Tsu-chan?" He asked curiously. She tucked it under the table, caressing the wound with the fingers of the same hand. "Nothing to worry about, Hunny-senpai. It's just a scrape." She assured him. "It doesn't hurt?" He asked. She shook her head. At this he smiled and went back to eating. She could feel Mori's stare on her at the vague answered she had given, but she ignored it.

After lunch, they parted and headed to their classes. After classes were over, she was changing in the back room of the dance room. She put on her black leotard and tights and as she was walking out the door, she slipped on her black ballet slippers, which her teacher regarded her sternly for. She was supposed to wear pink ones, but she despised the color. Looking around at the classroom, she realized just how many girls were in this class. She sighed heavily, she wanted to dance alone today. As her teacher was distracted with another student, she slipped out of the room, clutching her bag tightly to her side.

She made her way through the vast halls. 'Wow, this place looks deserted.' She thought to herself. She was sure the drop of a pin would echo down through the halls like a gunshot. Finally, she reached the door that she had been looking for. It had a sign above it that read 'Music Room 3'. She rested her fingers on the cool knob and turned. As she opened the door, the scent of flowers caressed her and rose petals flitted about her face.

"Welcome." 7 young men chorused. "Hi, guys." She said as she closed the door behind her. "Tsu-chan!" Honey exclaimed as he jumped on her back, hugging her. "What brings you here?" Tamaki asked, looking at her outfit. "Well, I was gonna attend ballet today, but I decided against it." She said. "I see, well, if you want to change, you're welcome to use the back room." Kyoya said, adjusting his glasses. "Thanks." She said. "But we like you this way." The twins said in unison. "Thank you, but it's not very comfortable." She said, barely escaping their clutches as Hunny jumped off her. "You guys, are you bothering Tuskiko-chan again?" Haruhi asked, crossing her arms. "We're just having some fun." Hikaru answered. "Come on, Tsukiko-chan, I'll take you." She said. "Thanks, Haruhi-chan." She said, stepping around the two devils.

The two walked to the back room together. Haruhi guarded the door while she changed into her usual black frilly gothic dress. As she stepped out, Haruhi smiled. "I've always admired your boldness." She commented. "Thanks, Haruhi-chan." She replied, a semblance of a smile on her face.

They went back into the main room, and she sat with Haruhi, chatting a bit about her day before the guests began to arrive. Then, Tsukiko took her usual seat by the windowsill, staring out into the deep, clear blue sky. She sighed heavily as a bird flew by the window. She wished she could just sprout wings and glide through the air, free to go where she wanted and see who she wanted. 'Free…' She laughed inwardly. 'Yea right.'

He looked over at her, staring out the window again. She always looked so sad to him, no one else saw it, but he did. There was heavy sorrow swimming in her black night eyes. Her hair cascaded down her neck in black waves, heavily contrasting against her alabaster skin. Her black dress hugged her curves perfectly, flowing down her legs in elegant ruffles. There was something off about her outfit today though, around her neck was a thick, silk white ribbon. His eyes traveled back to onyx orbs, she seemed to be deep in thought. He wanted to know what she was thinking about.

After a few hours, Haruhi invited Tsukiko to have tea with her. She did, sipping it slowly, quiet as usual. In ways, she was quite similar to Mori, though the two never seemed to be attracted to each other in any way.

She seemed to go from host to host, sharing cake with Hunny and Mori, sitting quietly with Kyoya and even dealing with Tamaki's crazy antics, but she hadn't come to see him yet. A swell of annoyance tinged by a bit of jealousy struck him.

"Tsukiko-chan." A familiar, dark voice hissed. He sighed. 'And that dude, he's been after her since the beginning, but she's never even showed any hint of interest for him.' Again, he thought they'd be perfect for each other. "What is it now, Nekozawa-san?" She asked dully, not even bothering to look at him. "I've brought you something." He crooned. Sighing, she set her tea cup down and walked over to the now dark, foreboding door surrounded by black roses. He held out a black lace choker to her, smiling. Jealousy bubbled up in his heart.

"I'm sorry, Nekozawa-san, but I can't accept this." She told him, for the millionth time. Crushed, he retreated back into the darkness, the door creaking shut. "Why don't you ever give him a chance? You two seem like you would be perfect for each other." Hunny pointed out. "Maybe she thinks she's too good for him." Hikaru said. Surprised, Tuskiko turned to look at him. He wouldn't meet her gaze. "Hikaru, that wasn't very nice." Haruhi said. He said nothing, just huffed and crossed his arms. "Do you have a problem with me, Hikaru?" Tsukiko asked, walking right up to him. He could feel her eyes on him, but he couldn't bring himself to look at her, because he knew what he would see there. Black fire.

"Tsukiko-chan…" Kaoru cautioned. "What?" She asked, turning her burning gaze on him. "Maybe you should-" "No, it's alright, Kaoru. She's actually speaking for once instead of just sitting there like a statue." He said. At this, Tsukiko's rage boiled beneath her skin. He was supposed to be her friend, and he was insulting her just like the rest of them? How could he? She opened her mouth to say something nasty but stopped herself. She took a deep breath to calm herself, she would not get into an argument with him over this.

"Obviously you're not who I thought you were." With that, she turned and walked into the back room. "That was really cruel, Hikaru." Haruhi said as she too walked into the back room. "Yea, Hika-chan. You know the way the other kids treat her." Hunny pointed out. "Well it's true, you know. She acts like we're not good enough for her. She barely talks to anyone." He said snidely.

Footsteps walked up to him. He looked over to see none other than Tsukiko herself. He hadn't even heard her come out of the back room. A resounding smack echoed off the high ceilings. Shocked, all he could do was hold his cheek. The last he saw of her was the burning flames that radiated through her obsidian eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

When she returned home, she managed to dodge her father and eat an early dinner. Up in her room, she did her homework, successfully distracting herself from the incident with Hikaru. After she was done though, the thoughts kept creeping up on her like shadows in the dark. So she busied herself with showering, brushing her hair and teeth and dressing for bed.

She stood in front of the mirror, staring at her pallid reflection. Her obsidian orbs were fixated on the deep purple bruise encircling her neck. It stood out like a sore thumb, contrasting heavily with her complexion. Hikaru's words echoed in her head.

_"Well it's true, you know. She acts like we're not good enough for her. She barely talks to anyone." _She shook her head as if to rid herself of the ghost. She gently touched her fingertips to the bruise.

"Hikaru, you idiot, that's not it at all." She whispered, her fingers clenching at her side. She exhaled slowly to try and ease the aching pain in her chest.

'Why am I hurting like this?' She asked herself as she went and sat on her bed. She tucked her knees into her chest and rested her head on them.

She never thought one of her friends could hurt her like this. Though she felt it was deeper than that, and she couldn't understand why. Hikaru was her friend, and he betrayed her, how much worse could it get? But it was worse, and she didn't know why. Tears bit at her eyes, but she wouldn't let them go. She hadn't cried in years and she wasn't about to start now over something as trivial as this. Taking a few deep breaths to bury the pain and sorrow, she laid herself down and tried to fall away from it all.

Tsukiko woke the next day and did her usual morning routine, tying the white ribbon around her neck to hide the bruises once again. She ate breakfast by herself, as usual, and then set off to school. During one of her morning classes, she spotted Haruhi. She smiled at Tsukiko and came over.

"Listen, I'm sorry about Hikaru yesterday, please don't hold it against him. Sometimes he's just like that. We all yelled at him for it after you left." Haruhi said. "Oh…thanks, but until Hikaru actually apologizes himself, I think maybe it's best if I don't come to the host club anymore." She said, trying to mask the little shred of pain that ran through her voice. "He really hurt you, didn't he?" Haruhi asked. "No, don't be ridiculous." Tsukiko denied as she walked by to her seat.

She felt Haruhi's eyes on her, but she kept her gaze lowered. She didn't want her to see the pain that had invaded her eyes. Letting it go, Haruhi walked back to her seat. The rest of the day passed by smoothly, thoughts of the golden eyed Hitachiin drifting to the back of her head as she focused on the lessons and lectures.

When lunch time came around, she sat with Haruhi who spoke no more on the subject of Hikaru. They enjoyed each other's company because all they both really wanted was peace and quiet. Haruhi was one of the few people she felt she could be herself around.

'I used to feel that way about Hikaru too.' She thought, and a dull ache stabbed her in the chest. She sighed heavily, catching Haruhi's attention.

"Are you alright, Tsukiko-chan?" Haruhi asked. "Yea." She said in her quiet monotone. The brown haired female beside her looked skeptical but said nothing. Lunch continued on in silence until Haruhi finally looked over at her.

"You know, Tsukiko-chan, if there was ever anything that you wanted to talk about, I hope you know that you could talk to me." She told her. A little stunned, she could only blink. Just as she opened her mouth to say something, the bell rang, signifying the end of the lunch period. They picked up their lunches and threw them away, then went their separate ways.

The day went by quickly, and soon Tsukiko found herself in the dance room. She needed to keep her mind focused on something, so she wouldn't stray to those golden eyes and haunting words.

Meanwhile

"You know, I saw Tuskiko-chan today. She looked really upset." Haruhi said, loud enough for a certain someone to hear. This peeked his interest, but he didn't let it show.

"She looked tired too, like she hadn't slept well." She commented. "We saw her today too, even though we didn't talk to her, she didn't look like herself. Right, Takashi?" Hunny asked. Mori nodded in agreement.

"You know, Hikaru, maybe you should just apologize." Kaoru said. "Why would I do that? I don't think I have anything to apologize for." He said, crossing his arms over his chest. Kaoru simply sighed.

"And if she thinks I do, then she can just say so when she gets here." Hikaru added. "Actually, she said until you apologize to her, she's not coming to the club anymore." Haruhi said. "WHAT?" Tamaki exclaimed.

This surprised Hikaru, if she had a problem with someone, she would usually show up just to get on their nerves, that was just the way she was. If she wasn't coming, then he must've really hurt her. But he didn't understand why. Those words echoed off the walls of his mind, taunting him.

_"Obviously you're not who I thought you were."_

Those simple 8 words had seared themselves into his head. They hadn't been especially cruel, but they had stung and bit at his heart in a way that was foreign to him, caused a dull ache to engulf him. _Regret._ Regret at what he had said to her, and later that night, he had ranted to Kaoru about how terrible he had felt about ignoring the guilt and continuing on, causing her to slap him. Told him how angry he was at her for ignoring him and spending time with everyone else. He had told his brother to just apologize, but Hikaru had too much pride to do that, he was too stubborn to be the first to cave. Kaoru knew it was only a matter of time.

"We must go see her!" Tamaki had decided. The host club made their way out of the room. Haruhi looked back over her shoulder before leaving.

"Are you guys coming?" She asked. "No, we're gonna stay here." Kaoru answered for Hikaru. She sighed and walked out the door.

"You know, Hikaru, I'm sure she's hurting just as bad as you are." Kaoru said. "Who said I was hurt?" He asked. "You did, last night, when you told me how much you regretted saying those things to her." He answered. Hikaru huffed and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Look, I know you care about her, so why are you doing this to yourself?" Kaoru asked. Hikaru sighed. "I don't know."

With The Host Club:

"There she is." Hunny said as they peered through the door.

She was center stage, in her black leotard, white tights and scarlet pointe shoes. She was spinning on one leg, performing a fouette turn.

"Wow, she's really good." Haruhi commented. As she was about to spin out, she lost her balance and tumbled to the ground. "She almost never falls." Hunny said. "Yes, that is strange, she's the top of her class." Kyoya commented, scribbling something down in his notebook. "It's probably because she's distracted." Haruhi said. They watched her get to her feet and the teacher came up to her.

"Are you alright, Tsukiko-san?" She asked. "Yes, I'm fine." She answered. "You seem distracted today." She commented. "No, I'm just a little tired, that's all. Um, I think I'm going to take a break." She said. The teacher nodded and she walked off stage.

At the moment, the host club had their backs turned and were discussing a strategy of how to get Tsukiko to come back to the club. The door opened and sent Tamaki tumbling to the floor.

"Tamaki-senpai." Tsukiko said in surprise. "What are you guys doing here?" She asked as her eyes fell on the group. "We were worried about you." Haruhi said. "Worried about me? Why?" She asked, she was confused. "Well, because, you didn't seem yourself today when we saw you." Hunny said. "Oh, I'm fine, you guys. But thanks for being concerned." She said. She was suddenly embraced.

"That's so cute!" Tamaki exclaimed as he rubbed his head against hers. "Senpai." Haruhi said in a reprimanding tone as she curled her fingers around his arm, prying him off her. "Sorry about that." She added to Tsukiko. "No, it's fine. I'm use to Tamaki-senpai by now." She said. "Mommy, my wife and daughter are being cruel to me again!" Tamaki said dramatically. "Since when did I become your daughter?" Tsukiko asked. "Yea, and when did I become your wife?" Haruhi asked. "Are you saying you're my wife?" Tamaki asked, taking Haruhi's hand. "I NEVER SAID THAT!" Haruhi denied, pulling her hand away. "So, Tsu-chan, will you come back to the club with us?" Hunny asked. "I'm sorry, Hunny-senpai, but I can't do that, not until Hikaru apologizes to me." She said.

Hunny's eyes turned pleading. He clasped his hands together and jutted out his lower lip. She was torn, she really didn't want to see Hikaru, but Hunny was so cute, she actually felt a little guilty.

"Mitsukuni." Mori said, seeing the clash in her eyes. He pouted but let it go.

"Actually, I was wondering if I could talk to Haruhi. Alone." She said. "Sure." Haruhi agreed. "Alone? Why can't we come?" Tamaki asked. The two girls ignored him and began to walk away, when he started to follow.

"Tamaki." Kyoya's warning voice stopped him.

They disappeared around the corner and they all looked at each other, except Kyoya, who was writing something down in his black book. In a silent decision between friends, they snuck off around the corner. Kyoya sighed, adjusting his glasses, and followed after them.

"Haruhi-chan…why do you think Hikaru acted that way?" Tsukiko asked hesitantly, not sure if she wanted to know the answer.

"Honestly? I think he was jealous." Haruhi answered. "Jealous? Of who?" Tsukiko asked, surprised. "Of Nekozawa-senpai, and everyone else. He was waiting for you to come and spend some time with him, like you did with everyone else. But Hikaru's never been patient, and he let his jealousy get the best of him." Haruhi explained. Tsukiko looked shocked for a second.

"But I don't understand." She said, genuinely confused. "Why would he be jealous of everyone else?" She asked, her dark brows furrowing. "Because he likes you, Tsukiko-chan." Haruhi said. Tsukiko could only blink. It was silent for a moment while she processed this information.

"How is that possible?" She asked slowly. Haruhi sweatdropped.

"Tsukiko-chan, have you looked in the mirror lately?" She asked. "Yea, but I'm boring! All I do is sit there and keep to myself. My hair is too dark, my skin is too pale, hell even my eyes are too dark. I look like a walking ghost." Tsukiko said. "I never knew Tsu-chan thought so badly of herself." Hunny whispered to Tamaki. "Tuskiko-chan, don't be so hard on yourself." Haruhi said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I have to think about this." Tsukiko said, a finger on her lip, seeming in thought. "Alright. We should head back, I don't want to get you in trouble with your teacher." Haruhi said and the dark haired girl nodded. The host club scrambled back to their positions at the door before the girls could notice.

"Thanks, Haruhi-chan." Tuskiko said and hugged her friend. "No problem." She replied.

She waved at the rest of the group before disappearing back inside the dance room.


	3. Chapter 3

That night when she got home, she had another early dinner and went upstairs to work on her homework, repeating last night's process to keep the golden eyed Hitachiin out of her mind. Just as she finished putting on her nightgown, a voice tore through the atmosphere, freezing the blood in her veins.

"Tsukiko!" He sounded especially angry tonight.

Though she couldn't blame him, she had avoided him like the plague these past couple days. She ran from her bathroom and over to her door, her fingers shaking as she locked it. She stepped back, staring at the door with wide, frantic onyx eyes. Her heart jumped into her throat and she gasped as a loud bang sounded on the wood. She continued to walk backwards until her back hit the sliding glass doors that led out to her balcony, her heart thudded against her rib cage like a mallet.

"Tsukiko, open this door right now!" He demanded, his voice ragged with anger.

Tears stung at her eyes and she whimpered as he slammed himself against the door again. He was going to break it down. She had to get away. Turning, her fingers fumbled with the lock on her glass doors, throwing them open. The cold night air kissed and bit at her skin, her feet frozen against the icy floor. She ran to the side of the balcony, and swung her leg over. Carefully, but quickly, she slid her tiny, bare foot into the rung of the white trellis. Hearing another loud bang as her father threw his body against her door, she rushed her movements even more. Bringing down her other leg, she hastily made her way down the trellis. She yelped as she heard the door to her room bust open, and she urged her legs to run.

She bounded across the vast lawn without looking back, the grass cold and wet between her toes. She eventually made it out to the street, where she slowed her pace to a walk. She wrapped her arms tightly around herself, rubbing to create friction.

'What am I supposed to do now?' She thought to herself.

Luckily, she had grabbed her cell phone before she left the bathroom, but what was she supposed to do with it? She could call one of her friends.

'But they would be so suspicious.' She thought in dismay.

With growing sorrow, she realized she was alone in this. And it was because she chose to be alone, she chose to isolate herself from her friends, and keep her problems all to herself. Again, she felt as if she could cry. She had felt like that a lot in the past few days, and she wasn't sure why. Gold flashed through her mind and she inwardly cringed.

'Hikaru…' She thought, a hollow pain gripping her chest. She missed seeing his playful eyes and deceitful smile.

'But he makes me so mad!' She thought, anger swelling up inside her. She couldn't stay in plain sight for long, someone was bound to recognize her, she was, after all, the daughter of a very wealthy man.

'Who would be the one to ask the least questions?' She thought to herself. 'Well, the quietest one out of all of us is Mori-senpai.' She thought.

Taking a deep breath, she fished her cell phone out of the pocket of the white nightgown she wore, and hesitantly scrolled through her contacts until she found him. She clicked on his name and put the phone to her ear. As it rang she noticed that she was passing by the park. She quickly ducked inside and found herself a bench to sit on. After the third ring he picked up.

"Mori-senpai, it's Tsukiko. I know it's late and I'm sorry to be calling you, but um…I was just wondering…if you could-" her voice cracked. "If you could…pick me up. I'm at the park near my house." She mentally kicked herself, her voice was clogged and shaking, the emotions welling up inside her threatening to burst at the seams.

"Thanks, Mori-senpai." She pressed the end button and took the phone away from her ear, slipping it back inside her pocket.

A chill ran through her bones and she shivered, bringing her knees up to her chest. As the minutes passed her mind wandered to what was to come. Would Hunny be with him? If so, would he ask questions? With sinking horror she realized her neck was bare. Her hand reached up and caressed the dark bruise. Perhaps she could just leave and go back home. No, that would be unfair to Mori, he had agreed to come and pick her up at a time like this. She could call him and tell him not to come.

Her fingers inched towards her pocket at this thought. But what if he had already left? Sighing heavily, she folded her hands on top of her knees. Perhaps this was it, perhaps now everyone would know her secret. She shied away from the idea. Surely everyone would hate her if they knew she'd been keeping something like this from them.

Tears stung at her eyes once again at the thought of Hikaru hating her. What if he already did? No, Haruhi had said he was only jealous, and that's what she was going to keep telling herself, lest the pain become too much to bear.

A sleek, black limo pulled up to the gates of the park, and she immediately covered her neck with her hand. The door opened and Mori's tall, dark figure stepped out onto the sidewalk. He regarded her with emotionless eyes that seemed softer than normal, like he was…worried.

She slid off the bench and he met her halfway. He looked down at her feet and saw they were barefoot, he took off his jacket and draped it around her shoulders, scooping her up in his arms. She was a little surprised, but said nothing and allowed him to carry her back to the waiting limo. He carefully set her inside and slid in beside her.

"Thanks, Mori-senpai." She said quietly as the limo pulled away from the curb. "Hm." Was all the reply she got.

She stared out the window as the scenery flew by, her hand still covering her neck. She could feel Mori's stare on her, boring into her. Silence passed until Mori's voice broke through.

"What are you hiding?" "What are you talking about?" She asked, not bothering to look over at him.

She heard him slide next to her, and she turned her head, only to have her wrist captured by his big hand. He pulled it away from her neck and she cast her eyes down. Anger shook his core, but it didn't show on his face.

"Who did this to you?" He asked. "I don't wanna talk about it." She said quietly, her hair hiding her eyes.

The minutes passed in silence until they arrived at Mori's mansion. He helped her out of the car and carried her inside. She looked at all the paintings and artwork as he brought her upstairs and into his bedroom. Setting her on her feet, he excused himself to go change into his pajamas. She mechanically walked to one of the chairs in his room and sat down, folding her hands in her lap. Mori returned seconds later and sat in a chair across from her, staring at her.

She couldn't tell what he was thinking behind that black glass mask of his, but she desperately wanted to know. Would he tell the others? Would he tell Hunny? Surely he would, they kept no secrets from each other. Was he angry at her for not telling him, or anyone else for that matter? The minutes passed in silence, the clock's ticking echoing off the walls like gunshots.

"Tsukiko." Mori's baritone broke the silence. "Y-yes?" She stuttered. "What happened to you?" He asked. "Well…" She hesitated.

She knew she couldn't tell him the whole truth, but she wasn't about to lie to him either. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves.

"I can't tell you who did this to me, but I can tell you, that it was a man." She said quietly. "That's good enough." He said, and his tone seemed a bit softer than normal. A little surprised, she blinked.

"Come on, I'll show you to your room." He said as he stood. She got up and followed him out the door, to a room that was just next to his. "Goodnight, Mori-senpai. Thank you so much for letting me stay." She said, bowing. "Your welcome. Goodnight, Tsukiko." He said and turned, going back to his room.

Sighing, she closed the door and headed straight for the bed. She was so tired, her limbs felt like lead. She snuggled down into the soft, plush pillows and blankets, and almost immediately went under.


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning, Tsukiko awoke to the sun shining in her eyes. Looking at the clock on the nightstand, she saw that it was 10:47. She inwardly groaned.

'I can't believe I slept this late.'

Throwing her legs over the edge of the bed, she noticed something shining on the nightstand. Picking it up, she realized it was a silk blue ribbon. Surprised, she simply stared at it for a few moments.

'Thanks, Mori-senpai.' She said silently.

She tied the ribbon around her neck and exited the room, only to be met by a maid.

"Good morning, Yamashita-san." She greeted kindly. "Good morning." Tsukiko said in return. "I'll take you down to the limo if you'll follow me." She said, and turned, beginning to walk away.

Tsukiko followed, her bare feet silent against the cool floor. The maid led her down the stairs, and through the vast halls until they came to the front door. Two maids opened the doors for her, revealing a sleek black limo.

"Thank you." Tsukiko said, bowing to the three maids. "No, thank you." They chorused, which was a little unnerving. It reminded her of Hikaru and Kaoru.

She sighed heavily as she walked towards the limo. A butler opened and closed the door for her.

"Where to, Yamashita-san?" The driver asked. She gave him her home address and after about ten minutes they arrived.

"Would you like me to wait for you?" The driver asked. "Yes, if you wouldn't mind." She answered. "Of course not." he said, smiling cheerfully at her in the rearview mirror.

She got out of the vehicle and silently walked up to the front doors, slipping inside. She darted up to her room, avoiding maids along the way. The door lay on her bedroom floor and it creaked as she walked over it. She went to her closet and pulled out a bag, then went over to her drawers and began pulling out random articles of clothing.

She wanted to hurry, just in case her father returned home, which was unlikely, but it didn't keep her heart from hammering against her rib cage like a wild dove. After she was done packing, she pulled out some clothes and threw them on. A simple black long sleeved shirt and jeans.

Throwing the bag over her shoulder, she hastily made her way back down to the front door. Slipping on her boots, she realized she was forgetting one vital thing. Money. Dropping her bag near the door, she raced through the house and into her father's study. She went over to the desk and opened it, grabbing her credit card he had taken from her last week. She ran back out of the study and back to the front of the giant mansion, grabbing her bag and slipping back outside. She slid inside the limo, resting her bag on the floor.

"Ouran Academy?" The Driver guessed. "Actually…no. I want you to take me to the Shiratori Hotel." She said. He looked a little surprised, but didn't argue.

"The one across town?" He clarified. "Yes."

Later That Day at the Host Club

"Hikaru." Mori said, catching the red-head's attention. "Yea?" He answered. "I need to talk to you, alone." He said. "Uh, sure." He said, not used to Mori's actions.

He never really spoke to anyone unless it was absolutely necessary, and it was usually to Hunny-senpai. Kyoya watched curiously as Hikaru and Mori walked into the back room.

"Tsukiko called me last night, she sounded like she was about to cry. She asked me to pick her up at the park. When I got there, I found her in her nightgown, with no shoes." He went on to explain that he had brought her back to his house, and she told him a man had hurt her. Hikaru shook with anger, at himself and at whoever had done this to her.

"It's easy to guess that she doesn't want anyone to know, so keep this from the other hosts." Mori said. "Why didn't she call me?" Hikaru said, his voice shaking with anger. "Perhaps she would have, if you had just apologized." And with that, Mori walked back out into the main room.

Hikaru stood there, a little stunned at Mori's words, then anger took reign over him once again. He slammed his fist into the doorway and grit his teeth against the want to scream.

Tsukiko sighed as she stepped out of the shower, dressed in black lounge pants and a black t-shirt. She walked into her hotel room with a towel draped over her shoulders, the carpet plush and soft between her toes. She fell back onto the fluffy bed, closing her eyes as her muscles melted into the comforter and pillows. She let every single thought and every single worry fade away as the white clouds engulfed her, carrying her away into a blissful flight with a golden eyed angel.

Mori returned home that night to find that, as he suspected, Tsukiko had already left.

"Where did you take her?" He asked the driver. "I brought her home and I thought I was supposed to bring her to school but…" "But what? She didn't come into school today, so where did you bring her?" He asked. "She asked me to bring her to the Shiratori hotel." He answered. "I see." Mori said.

The room fell silent as Mori thought, he then turned and strode away.


	5. Chapter 5

_I know this is short, but I haven't updated in a while and I just wanted to get something up here. I'm working on the next chapter, but I've been sick so I don't know when it'll be done but I'm hoping soon . I appreciate any and all feedback!_

Tsukiko awoke the next day to the sun streaming in through her window in glaring rays of citrine. She slowly peeled open her heavy eyes, and lay in the heavenly bliss of her soft comforter and pillows for a few minutes. Then she pushed herself out of bed and dragged her lagging feet into the bathroom, the tile cool against her warm skin. She showered and dressed in her usual yellow school uniform with the white ribbon tied around her neck. Sighing, she stepped out of the hotel and into the pouring sunlight. Shielding her eyes with her arm she hailed a taxi and made her way to Ouran Academy.

Tsukiko stepped out of the cab a few streets away so no one would become suspicious. She walked the rest of the way to school, which caused her to be a few minutes late, but she didn't really care. They couldn't complain too much if she showed up.

Her classes dragged on in a blur, when lunch came, she made special note to avoid the lunch room and opted to read a book in the library instead. When the bell rang to signify the end of classes, she sighed heavily, wishing club activities were not mandatory.

She gathered her things and slowly made her way to the ballet studio. She placed her hand on the handle, hesitating. She really just wanted to relax, and that was something she used to do at the Host Club.

_"Well it's true, you know. She acts like we're not good enough for her. She barely talks to anyone." _She glared at the door and shook her head.

'Shut up, Hikaru.' She told him mentally. She pulled open the door and stepped inside.

End of the Day: "She's not going to come, Hikaru. You should just go see her." Kaoru told his twin who was looking rather gloomy. "She won't want to see me, Haruhi said so herself." He disagreed. Kaoru sighed.

"That's not what she said, you're just being difficult." He said as he put his arm around Hikaru's shoulders. "Come on, you two, everyone's leaving." Haruhi called from the doorway. "Coming." Kaoru answered and pulled his twin to his feet.


	6. Chapter 6

Tsukiko sighed, staring up at the hotel ceiling."I never thought it would come to this." She told herself.

'It's not fair, none of it is. It's not fair that I have to be living in this hotel, all by myself. And it's not fair that I can't even see any of my friends because of Hikaru, or even confide in them. But…that's my fault.' She turned on her side, curling into the bed. 'I kept them at arm's length, I made it so that I was all alone in this. It's what I wanted, and now I hate it.'

Her cell phone rang, interrupting her thoughts. She sat up and picked it up off the nightstand, looking at the caller I.D. It was Kaoru.

'Why is he calling me?' She wondered, she was about to silence it, but the absent thought of something happening to Hikaru stopped her. She answered it.

"Hello?" "Hey, I didn't really expect you to answer." He said. "You're lucky I did." She responded in a dull monotone. She heard him sigh. "I would really appreciate it if you could come to the host club tomorrow." He said. "Why should I do that?" She asked him. "Because Hikaru really wants to see you." He told her. "What? If he wanted to see me, why didn't he? And why are you calling me instead of him?" She asked. "He doesn't know I'm calling you. He really wants to see you." Kaoru insisted. "Wait…"

It clicked in her head, why he suddenly wanted to see her, and why Kaoru wasn't giving an explanation.

"Did Mori-senpai talk to you two?" She asked a bit slowly. "He talked to Hikaru, but we tell each other everything." He confirmed.

She was silent for a moment, not knowing what to say.

"Are you still there?" Kaoru asked. "Yea…I'm here." She said quietly. "So come to the host club tomorrow, alright?" He said. "I don't know, I'll think about it." She said. "Ok, I'll talk to you later." "Wait! Does everyone else know?" She asked, a bit nervous. "No, only we know." He said. She released a breath of relief. "Ok, talk to you later."

She hung up and sighed, placing her phone back on the nightstand.

'What am I supposed to do?' She asked herself. 'Does he really want to see me if it was his brother who called? Maybe he was too nervous to call? No, that doesn't seem like Hikaru. Maybe he thought I was mad and wouldn't answer his phone call, which I wouldn't have.' She thought.

She groaned in frustration, burying her face in the bed.

'Tomorrow is going to be so stressful.' She thought to herself.

Her cell phone suddenly rang again, the sound deafening in the silent room. She became a bit irritated, thinking it was Kaoru again. She picked it up, answering it and putting it to her ear without looking at the caller I.D.

"What?" She asked, annoyed. "Did I call at a bad time?" Haruhi's voice came from the other line. "Haruhi-chan? I'm sorry, I thought you were someone else." She apologized. "It's alright. I was just wondering if you wanted to hang out with me today." She said. "Um…sure. I don't have anything else to do." She responded. "Alright. I don't have much to do, but I thought you could use some company." She said. "Thanks, I'll meet you at your place in 15?" She asked. "I'll be here." They said their goodbyes and hung up the phone.

Tsukiko threw on some clothes and made her way out of the hotel. Once again, she hailed a cab and made her way to Haruhi's house, stopping about a street or two away, and walking the rest of the way. She found Haruhi's apartment complex and made her way to the brunette's door. She knocked and Haruhi opened the door with a smile. Tsukiko returned the ghost of a smile.

"Come in." Haruhi said as she stepped aside. Tsukiko stepped inside the small apartment, and as Haruhi closed the door behind her, she glanced outside. There was no sign of a sleek black limo being hounded by curious commoners. She closed the door and sat at the table with Tsukiko where she had tea prepared for them.

"Where's Ronka today?" Tsukiko asked curiously, clutching her tea cup. "He's working late tonight." She responded. "Oh, I see." She said quietly and a moment of silence passed before Haruhi asked the question that had been on her mind since Tsukiko walked in the door. "How did you get here?" "What do you mean?" Tsukiko asked, setting down her tea. "There's no limo parked out front." She pointed out. "I was close by, so I walked." She lied flawlessly, but Haruhi saw through any lie, directly to the truth. "What would you be doing fifteen minutes from here? You live in the rich district, which is further away. The only way you could have gotten here in fifteen minutes from where you live, or wherever you were, would be by vehicle." Haruhi said, also setting down her tea. Tsukiko was silent.

'When did I become such a bad liar? Though, I suppose Haruhi makes anyone look like a bad liar.' She thought to herself.

"Look, Tsukiko, I don't know what's going on with you, but I'm your friend, and I've said it before, you can talk to me." She told the obsidian eyed girl. Tsukiko sighed, running her pale fingers through her dark hair.

"Kaoru called me today." She said. "Yea, and?" She asked, curious. "He wants me to come to the host club tomorrow." She answered. "Are you going to?" Haruhi asked. "I don't know, I was actually going to ask you what you thought about it." She said, rubbing her fingers against the smooth cup as she stared down into the warm liquid. "Well, I'm sure Hikaru didn't apologize, did he?" She asked. "No…" Tsukiko answered quietly. "Well what did Kaoru say?" She asked.

Tsukiko explained the phone call and Haruhi said, "I think you should go." "Are you sure? I mean…honestly, I'm kinda nervous." She confided. "What's the worst that could happen? He doesn't apologize and things stay as they are?" Haruhi pointed out. "Yea, I guess you're right." She smiled slightly at her friend. Harhuhi smiled brightly back.

"Alright, I'm actually supposed to make dinner." She said. "Can I help? I've never actually made dinner with someone." She said shyly. "Of course!"


	7. Chapter 7

That morning, Tsukiko awoke early and jumped in the shower. She examined her neck in the mirror.

It wasn't quite as dark as it was originally, but it was still very noticeable.

With a sigh, she tied the white ribbon around her neck and slipped on her shoes.

"Here we go." She said quietly to herself as she stepped out of her hotel room.

She made her way rather slowly down to the lobby, once again taking a taxi to school. While walking the rest of the way down the sidewalk, the familiar dull hum of a certain limo registered in the back of her mind. It was only when the tires screeched did it come full force to the front of her mind and she looked up, like a panicked deer, she watched in horror as the tinted window rolled down and revealed the all too familiar angry face of her father.

"No." She whispered. "Tsukiko." He growled.

Before he could say anything else, she turned to run, but the door swung open and caught her in the side, knocking her to the ground. She scrambled to her feet as he stepped out of the limo. He grabbed her wrist with a crushing force, and they were so caught up in the moment, they didn't notice another limo pull up beside theirs.

"Let me go, let me go!" She cried out in a panic.

There was no telling what he would do to her once he got her alone. She had never run away from home before, she was always too afraid.

The sound of a door opening and closing fell on deaf ears as he dragged her into the limo.

"No!" She cried out again, reaching for anything that could stop her descent into the arms of this monster that called itself her father.

Her hand reached out and wrapped itself around the side of the car, and she refused to let go.

"Let go, Tsukiko!" Her father ordered, but she ignored him.

Frustrated, he slammed the door shut on her hand and she nearly screamed in pain. Suddenly the door opened from the outside. Surprised, her father looked to see who it was. A pale boy, with dark hair and glasses stood there. Tsukiko's eyes brimmed with tears, and she could only make out his figure, but it was familiar enough for her to recognize.

"Hello, Yamashita-san. I hate to interrupt," He began, but the look in his eyes was threatening. "but I was to pick up Tsukiko and bring her to school today. However, I'm afraid I was a bit late."

Tsukiko blinked away the tears and she cradled her shaking hand against her dress.

"So if you don't mind, I'll be taking her off your hands now."

However, the crushing grip on her waist, how his arm came to be there in their struggle she didn't remember, did not cease. Kyoya adjusted his glasses so the light glinted off them in a glare.

"You know, I don't believe my father has heard from you in a while. I'm sure he would be delighted to see you again."

He feigned a pleasant smile, boasting his status as her father recognized the hint of the threat laced through his words. He immediately released his terrified daughter and she stumbled out of the limo. Kyoya smiled brighter as he gently closed the door to the limo.

"Have a good day, Yamashita-san." Kyoya said as the limo quickly pulled away from the curb.

He turned to Tsukiko, who was gathering her things with one shaking hand. He walked over and bent down, collecting them for her and picking them up. He stood and she was still for a moment before she also got to her feet.

"Arigatou." She said quietly and slowly. "Would you like a ride to school?" He offered. "Ano…" She hesitated, she really didn't want to be stuck somewhere with him that she would have no place to escape. It's not that she didn't trust Kyoya, because she did, she'd known him for years now, she just didn't want to talk about what just happened, she wanted to pretend as if it never happened. He opened the back door.

"Tsukiko." He said, bringing her out of her thoughts. "Y-yes?" She stuttered. "Get in." She paused but hesitantly walked to the limo and slid in.

He got in beside her and she slid across the smooth leather seats to the far side. The limo pulled away from the curb and Tsukiko slowly tried stretching out her hand, but sharp pains shot up through her wrist and arm and she winced visibly. Kyoya sighed.

"Please…senpai, don't say anything." She said quietly. He adjusted his glasses, studying her. "Please." She begged, and her voice was small, and shook a bit, as if she were trying not to cry. "I'll do whatever you want in return, I don't care what it is, anything, but please, I'm asking you as a friend, please don't say anything." She pleaded, turning her big obsidian orbs on him that were drowned in blue. He'd never seen her look so sad, his heart clenched in his chest.

"When we get to the school, make sure you go to the nurse. Tell her you were in a hurry and accidently caught your hand in the door." He told her.

She stared for a moment, and relief washed through her like a tidal wave. If her hand didn't hurt so badly she would have hugged him.

"I will repay you, I swear." She promised. "I'll count on that." He said with a slight smirk.

The ghost of a smile painted her lips and she took a deep breath, calming herself and gathering the pieces of herself together to face everyone as a whole, even though she knew it would be a lie.

'How long are you going to keep lying, Tsukiko?' She asked herself. 'As long as I have to, maybe that makes me selfish, but isn't that basic human nature when it comes down to it? Everyone does the things they do for self preservation.'

She glanced at Kyoya.

'Him being the prime example.'

However, she accepted and loved him as a friend for the way he was, and wouldn't change him for a single thing.


	8. Chapter 8

_Sucess! 2 chapters in one day! I had a sudden burst of inspiration. :)_

The day went by in a blur, she remembered none of her lessons, and she was glad that she had taken notes. Before she knew it, there she was, standing in front of the third music room door. Her heart fluttered like dove wings against her chest, this was it, she was going to see him for the first time since that day. After staring at the ground in contemplation for what was way too long, she grasped the cool handle and opened the door. The rose petals floated out, around and past her face, and the 7 young men chorused, "Welcome."

She stared with a rather closed off gaze, and stepped inside, closing the door behind her. Tamaki smiled brightly and grabbed her in a hug, rubbing his face against her head.

"Oh, how we've missed you!"

She couldn't help but feel a bit of warmth flood her heart at being with her friends again. Haruhi managed to tear him off her and Hunny greeted her next, offering her some cake.

"I'll have some with you later, ok?" She said.

He nodded with a smile. Kyoya simply smiled politely at her from the place he sat with his laptop, then her eyes fell on the duo. Kauro smiled at her, but she didn't return it. Hikaru averted her gaze, and she slowly walked up to the pair.

"Let's talk." She said, cutting her words short.

Before he could respond, she grabbed Hikaru with her good hand and dragged him into the back. She released him and turned to face him, her arms crossed. He opened his mouth to speak, but found he didn't know what to say. His eyes left golden trails down her skin that she could almost feel. They traveled down her face, neck, chest and to where her arms where folded beneath her breasts.

"What happened to your hand?" He asked. He had found it odd that she used her left hand to grab him when she was right handed.

"Don't worry about it." She told him curtly. "Ano…I spoke with Mori-senpai." He began. "Yea, and?" She asked. "I…" He struggled with his tongue, he wanted to shout at her, tell her that just because of something stupid he said to her that he didn't even mean, that didn't mean she couldn't come to him at a time when she needed someone most.

'But she doesn't know that I didn't mean it.' He thought to himself. 'I need to tell her.' He told himself, but the words got stuck in his throat. Her burning eyes on him were making it nearly impossible for him to breathe.

"You what? You don't have anything at all to say to me?" She asked, slightly angry. "I do, I just…I'm…I'm sorry!" He blurted. He looked down, unable to look at her any longer.

"I was just upset, I let my temper get the best of me. I didn't mean anything that I said to you. It wasn't true." He told her.

Her eyes softened a bit, returning to her normal mask. As she was quiet, he was sure she wouldn't forgive him, but he heard her small steps to him. She embraced him and a light blush colored his cheeks, which she didn't see.

"I forgive you." She said to him, her voice brushing over him.

It took a moment, but he hugged her back. When she released him, he made sure the blush was gone and he flashed her one of his devilish smiles. Her heart leapt at the sight. It had felt like forever since she'd seen that smile, though it had haunted her heart and hounded her mind every day that she was away from him.

"So…are you alright?" He asked, unsure. It took her a moment, but understanding came over her.

"I'm…fine." But the hesitance told him different. She was a confident person, at least on the outside, and never faltered.

"What happened to you, Tsukiko-chan?" He asked, his voice softer than usual.

Her fingers came up to caress the ribbon around her neck. He stepped to her and gripped her hand gently, pulling it away. She looked up at him, feeling her face get warm. His fingers brushed the smooth skin of her neck as he reached behind her head, easily untying the ribbon, her silky hair dancing against his skin.

"Don't."

But she was already too late. The ribbon came loose and slid off her neck, revealing the deep contrasting bruise circling her neck. His eyes softened and she looked away, ashamed. She took in a small breath as she felt the tips of his fingers lightly caress the damaged skin. They left her neck tingling and wanting to feel more.

"Who did this to you?" He asked quietly.

She looked to the ground. She couldn't stop the blush from coloring her pale cheeks as she felt his fingers touch her chin and turn her face gently to look at him.

"I won't tell, I promise." He swore to her. "I…I can't tell you." She answered quietly. "Why not?" He asked. "Because…I…I just can't." Her voice sounded so pained, he wished he could take all of her hurt away. "Please, Tsukiko-chan." He begged. She took a deep breath to calm herself, her heart was swollen with tears. "Gomen ne." She apologized, her voice barely above a whisper. Hikaru was quiet for a moment. "Will you tell me eventually?" He asked.

She wasn't sure, would she ever tell him? She didn't know, just like she didn't know why her heart beat faster whenever he was near, but she nodded. He released her face and retied the ribbon for her around her neck. He offered a small smile, to which she returned.

"Now come on, the others are probably waiting." He said, taking her good hand, which caused her to blush again.

He led her back out to the room and when he opened the door, the club was filled with guests already. He rejoined his twin, bringing Tsukiko with him, and she fell into the familiar swing of things, and it eased her aching and cracked heart to be back in these surroundings, it was…comforting in a way. The laughs and antics in the background of this play that was her life, were more than enough to keep her going. She relished in them and never wanted them to end, but of course, everything ends.


	9. Chapter 9

_Sorry it's short, but I thought that was a good place to end it. Don't hurt me! *hides*_

Tsukiko walked out of the extravagant high school, prepared to begin walking home, but that voice stopped her in her tracks. "Hey, Tsukiko, where's your limo?" Hikaru asked her. She mentally cursed.

"It's in for repairs." Kyoya said as he walked up beside her. She glanced at him, a little surprised.

"We can give you a ride home if you like." Kaoru offered. "No, that's alright. I can walk." She gently declined. "What?" They both said at the same time. "That's the most ridiculous thing we've ever heard." They protested. "Actually, I was supposed to bring her home. You must have forgotten." Kyoya said as he looked at the dark haired girl beside him. "Oh, that's right. Gomen, my head is somewhere else today." She said, though she had no idea what he was talking about, she was just grateful for the save. Hikaru opened his mouth to say something, but Kaoru interrupted before he could say anything he might regret again.

"Alright, we'll see you at school tomorrow." He smiled at her and began to drag his brother towards their limo.

Hikaru looked back over his shoulder at her, and she was looking at him with her midnight eyes. He was jealous, he had to admit, but for once it wasn't that bad. He knew something about her no one else did, they shared a secret. They had never been closer, and that eased the negative emotion bubbling in his heart.

"Bye, Tsukiko-chan." He said, waving with a bit of a devilish smirk.

She blinked at him, surprised he wasn't glowering at her, then waved back. Kyoya led her to his limo, opening the door for her. She slid in, taking her seat on the far side, and he got in beside her, sitting in the middle.

"Thank you, Kyoya-senpai. I really appreciate this." She said, folding her hands in her lap. "It's not a problem, where are you headed?" He asked. "The Shiratori Hotel." She answered. The limo pulled away from the curb smoothly.

"How's your hand?" He asked. "It's alright. Not the best, but I've had worse." She told him. Silence passed for a moment before Kyoya's voice broke through.

"You know, you can't hide this forever." "…I know…" She said quietly, caressing the bandage on her hand. "It will eventually come to an end, whether it's bad or good. Everything you've worked so hard to hide will come crashing down around you." He said.

She looked at him. His eyes were hidden behind those damn glasses again.

"You think I don't know that?" She asked him. "It is pointless. Why are you working so hard at something that is just going to destroy you?" He asked her. "I don't know." She said, looking out at the passing scenery. "I guess…I just want to see how long I can make it last." She said quietly.

Kyoya studied her for a moment before smirking a bit. He never realized they had anything in common. When the limo pulled up to the curb, the driver opened the door for her.

"Thank you, senpai. I'm sure I'll have to pay you back for this." She said as she stepped out. "Goodbye, Tsukiko." He said With a slight smile.

The driver closed the door and Tsukiko entered the hotel, hearing the wheels pull away from the curb. She made her way silently up to her floor, thoughts of a golden eyed twin buzzing around in her brain. When she entered, the hotel room was dark. For some reason, a chill crept down her spine. She quickly flicked on the light switch. She held in a gasp.

"O-otou-san." She stuttered, pressing her back against the door. "Did you think I wouldn't find you? Did you really think I didn't know where you were?" He asked. "I…ano…"

In truth, she did know he would find her eventually, she just had hoped that it wouldn't have been as soon as this. He stood from his place on the end of her bed, and she began to tremble as he walked towards her.

"Please, don't hurt me." She begged in a small voice. "Why would I hurt you?" He asked in mockery as he slammed both his hands on either side of her, causing her to flinch. "I can't damage my merchandise." He stated with a grin. "What?" She asked, confused.

He shoved his hand over her mouth and nose, covering it with a cloth. She struggled, holding her breath, but he was so much bigger and stronger than her. She pushed against him with all her might, but he was like a stone wall. Her lungs burned for air after so long, and she was forced to inhale deeply, her head swimming. It smelled sweet and it was suffocating. Darkness edged her vision and closed in quickly around her, swallowing her whole.


	10. Chapter 10

She peeled her heavy eyes open and tried to sit up, but she couldn't move her arms. She looked around; she was in her bedroom, at home. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to clear her hazy vision. She opened them again as she heard footsteps. Again she tried to sit up, but her arms were still immoveable. She looked down at herself and drew in a small breath. She was wearing a typical little black dress that was glued to her every curve, ending dangerously high on her thighs. The neckline dipped into a low V, reaching just below her breasts, and she wore matching black heels. Her feet were tied together, so she assumed her wrists must've been tied behind her back as well.

A man she had never seen walked up to her. She opened her mouth to speak, but found she couldn't. There was tape over her mouth. The man took a syringe out of his pocket. She watched him with fearful eyes, and he pulled the cap off. He took off her right shoe, and she began to struggle, making muffled sounds of protest.

"Hold still." He ordered, grabbing her slender ankle.

She screamed in protest one last time before he injected the needles contents between her toes. Tears burned her eyes, she had no idea what he just put inside her body, but she wished with all her might that it was simply something like a sedative. He slipped her shoe back on.

"Don't worry, you won't be here much longer." He told her with a smirk.

She glared at him, her obsidian eyes burning black with fire. She wanted to curse at him, tell him exactly what she thought of him and her father, but it only came out as a muffled sound of anger. He chuckled at her attempts and left the room.

It wasn't long before the drug began to work its way through her system. Her breathing became slower, her body heavy. Her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth, and the dark surroundings of this place, the walls that screamed at her, they didn't seem so bad. In fact, they seemed peaceful and loving, and she wanted to stay here forever, in this room, against these soft sheets. She was forced to hold in a yawn, and she managed to turn on her side, curling into one of her pillows and closing her eyes.

The next thing she was aware of, was a rocking motion.

'Where am I?' She asked herself, and peeled open her eyes with much effort.

It suddenly stopped, and she heard the loud sound of a door opening and closing. It echoed off the walls of her mind as if someone had slammed a metal bat into the side of a car. She felt cool air wash over her, and then she was suddenly pulled into it. She suddenly realized where she was.

She was in front of a huge mansion, bigger than her own, it seemed so familiar, but she couldn't place it. She recognized her father's cologne as the person hoisted her to her feet that she realized were now untied. She tried to stand but her knees buckled, she felt so weak, as if she had the strength of a two year old. She couldn't even hold her head up, it fell back against her father's chest as he held her up.

"Why don't you bring her inside?" The man said, seeing that the girl was obviously drugged.

He also had a very familiar voice, but the face alluded her. She was suddenly lifted bridal style into her father's arms, and the rocking motion of his walk made her sleepy. Everything seemed to move in slow motion, and she began to drift in and out of consciousness, the loud voices becoming muffled. She didn't know how much time had went by, but she felt someone jerk her up into a sitting position, and her heavy eyes flew open as far as they could.

"Wake up." Her father's voice demanded.

She tried to focus on him, but she was so tired. He dragged her to her feet.

"How much did you give her?" The familiar voice asked. "Not a lot, she's just a light weight." Her father answered. "Stand up." He ordered as he tried to place her on her feet.

She managed to stand, but her legs shook under her weight. She fell forward onto her knees, and managed to catch herself on both hands that were still tied together. She made a muffled sound as sharp pains shot up through her wrist and arm of her damaged hand. She slowly slid her hands forward, until she was lying on the cool marble floor.

The familiar voice spoke, but she couldn't understand him, he sounded too far away. She was lifted by a pair of more gentle arms. Her head fell back, unsupported, and she looked at the face of the person carrying her. It was a woman, and she was dressed as a maid.

Kyoya looked at his watch, it had almost been four hours.

'I suppose I should head home, father would not be happy if I was late.'

He gathered his things and said his goodbyes to Tamaki, and headed home in his limo. When it pulled up to his mansion, he noticed there was another car parked out front.

'So he's still here.' He mused, stepping out as the driver opened the door for him.

Tsukiko suddenly realized she was in an unfamiliar room, surrounded by shadows, the only light seeping in through the windows from the moon, giving everything a soft glow. She blinked away the sleep threatening to take her over again, and tried to figure out how she got here. She had vague, foggy memories of being inside a car, then inside a mansion, but that was it.

She pulled on her wrists, and discovered they were tied to the bed she was lying comfortably in, and she had somehow misplaced her heels. However, to her displeasure, she was still in that horridly revealing mini dress.

'At least I'm wearing something.'

She shuddered at the thoughts that invaded her mind. She thought back to the last thing she remembered clearly. She was in the hotel room with her father, had they argued? No, she didn't remember that.

_"I can't damage my merchandise."_

Anger consumed her.

'That bastard, he sold me! He sold me like a piece of meat!' She thought, but then fear struck up a chord in her chest. 'Who did he sell me to?' She asked herself.

Her heart pounded hard against her chest. Thoughts and images infected her mind of all the things that would happen to her in the hands of a stranger that saw her as nothing but a toy. Her breathing was still labored, and a dull ache began in her chest as her heart beat sped.

The door suddenly opened, and her eyes flicked to it like a frightened animal. She couldn't see the person's face, the light from the hallway cast a shadow over them, the only thing visible was the way the moonlight glinted off his glasses. They closed the door, and walked over to the wall, flicking a light switch. When the lights illuminated the room, her eyes widened at the person.

'No…it can't be…' She tried to herself it wasn't him, this wasn't happening to her, but her eyes refused to lie to her.


	11. Chapter 11

Kyoya looked over the terrified girl tied to his bed. Her face was flushed, her eyes were half lidded and her breathing was labored. The dress she wore was extremely revealing, and he rather liked to see her this way. Her skin was like snow, and looked just as soft, but he was sure it was much warmer.

He reached out and ran the back of his fingers from the dip in her dress up to her neck, eliciting a whimper from behind her taped lips. Her eyes filled up with tears, and he was tempted to wipe them away. He reached out to her face, and the tears spilled down her rose colored cheeks. The tips of his fingers brushed the streams lightly and he peeled the tape gently off her lips.

"K-Kyoya-senpai…" She stuttered. "Relax, Tsukiko." He told her, leaning over her.

She swallowed, the fear in her eyes growing to consume her pretty obsidian orbs. He reached up and untied her wrists from his bed.

"I'm sorry you had to go through all this." He told her. She looked at him, surprise showing through her fear.

"But…" she rubbed her wrists. "You didn't think I would actually use you, did you?" He asked her, adjusting his glasses. "Well…I do owe you." She said, carefully sitting up. "Yes, you do, and you are here, trapped in my room with me. No one would stop me." He said as he leaned close to her, placing his hands on either side of her. She leaned back, swallowing.

"You wouldn't do that to me." She stated. "I have every right to." He said. "What do you mean?" She asked slowly, not sure if she really wanted to know the answer. "My father did buy you for me." He answered. "W-what?" She stuttered, her eyes widening. "That's right, though it's not anywhere on paper, you do belong to me now." He told her with a smirk. "Demo…that's not fair." She said quietly. "You're lucky both I and my father agree with you." He said, leaning back. "Wait…now I'm confused." She said. "I didn't think your father would let up so easily, so I had you both followed. I learned about his plans and told to-san about it. We simply tricked your father into selling you to me." He explained.

Relief washed through her like a river and she found herself hugging him. He chuckled lightly and hugged her back. When they parted, he adjusted his glasses.

"Unfortunately, you'll have to stay in here, as your father has yet to leave. They sent me up to enjoy you." He said. A faint blush crossed her cheeks at that.

"This is your room?" She asked him. He nodded.

"Do you by any chance have anything I might be able to change into or put on over this?" She asked sheepishly, crossing her arms over her chest in an attempt to cover herself. "I'll have the maids bring you something." He said.

She nodded and watched him as he got up and quietly exited his room. She ran her fingers through her long black hair, and shakily got up from the bed. Her legs felt like jell-o. She went into his bathroom and splashed cool water on her face, drying it with one of his washcloths. She stared down into the marble basin.

'I can't believe he sold me.' She thought to herself. Her heart clenched hard in her chest and she gripped the sink with both hands, ignoring the pain it caused her.

'How could he do this to me?' She thought.

She knew he was cruel, she knew he must've hated her, but never did she think he would go this far. She could deal with the beatings and the arguing, but not this.

"These were all we had." Kyoya said from the doorway.

She glanced over, not having heard him come back into the room. She took them from him.

"I hope they'll be good enough." He said. "I'm sure they'll be fine, arigatou." She said quietly.

She changed into the pajamas in the bathroom, they were a little oversized and hung off her body unlike the way the dress hugged her. When she came out, Kyoya was sitting at his coffee table. He looked over.

"Would you like some tea?" He offered as he took a sip from his cup. "Sure." She said as she made her way carefully to him, and sat across from him on the other couch.

She reached for the cup he had for her but stopped as her vision gave a slow spin, the colors smearing like paint. She squeezed her eyes shut, willing the world still.

"Are you alright?" Kyoya asked as he watched her rub her eyes. "Yea, I'm just a little dizzy." She said as she reached out and took the cup. "It's most likely from the drugs." He told her. She took a sip, the warm liquid getting rid of the cotton lining the inside of her mouth.

"They gave it to me between my toes." She told him quietly. "Yes, that's what they'll do when they don't want any marks to be visible." He said.

She sighed heavily, taking another sip of her tea. They passed the next couple hours chatting, until Tsukiko could barely keep her eyes open any longer.

"Why don't you try to get some rest, Tsukiko. You've been through a lot today." Kyoya suggested. "Where am I sleeping?" She asked, stretching. "You can have my bed." He told her. "What about you?" She asked. "I'll take the couch." He said. "Are you sure? This is your room; I can sleep on the couch." She told him, feeling a little guilty. "It's fine, Tsukiko." He insisted. "Well…alright." She said hesitantly, getting up from her place. She walked over and climbed into his bed, the silk sheets like heaven.

"I would have a separate room for you, but unfortunately it's still quite early, and your father has yet to leave." Kyoya said as he got a book from his bookshelf. "Geeze, what is he celebrating?" She mumbled, snuggling into Kyoya's magnificently soft bed. "Oyasumi, Tsukiko." He said. "Oyasuminasai." She replied, closing her eyes. She almost immediately went into a dreamless, deep sleep.

The next morning when Tsukiko awoke to Kyoya's blaring alarm clock, she beat him to it and ripped it off the nightstand, throwing it at the wall. It shattered into a million bits and she snuggled back down into the bed. Kyoya was too tired to say anything and went back to sleep as well.

A few hours passed before either of them stirred. Tsukiko sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She looked around, seeing Kyoya beginning to wake as well. All the events of last night came slamming back to her, and she suddenly didn't feel like getting out of bed. She fell back onto the lush pillows and listened to Kyoya move about the room slowly.

"You can shower first." He told her.

She didn't have the will to argue so she simply got up and entered the bathroom. She could feel Kyoya's eyes on her, questioning her new found silence, but she didn't care. She took her sweet time, messaging shampoo into her scalp and lavishing every inch of her hair with conditioner. She felt dead inside today, mechanical, like nothing mattered anymore. She leaned on the wall with one hand, letting the water beat down on her head and back. She tried hard to find something, anything to grasp onto that would bring even the smallest bit of joy to her, but she could find nothing. Her friend's faces couldn't even bring her happiness, not even Hikaru.

"Who am I kidding?" She asked herself quietly.

'He'll never see me as anything more than a friend. Haruhi said he liked me, but even so, he will never be with me. He just likes the thought of being with someone like me, he'll find another girl that doesn't have any of my problems. Why would he want to be with someone who was beaten, drugged and sold like nothing more than a dog?' She thought, her heart aching in her chest cavity.

For how long she stood under the water she didn't know, but the Ootori household seemed to have an endless supply of hot water, but what else could she expect? They were practically the richest family in Japan.

She stepped out and dried off. Wrapped in the towel, she stepped out of the bathroom. She looked around, Kyoya was nowhere to be found, but a bag sat on his now made bed. She walked over and peeked inside it.

Some of her clothes were there. She absently wondered how he acquired them but she pushed that thought to the back of her mind and put them on. They were jeans with faint script on the legs, and a black t-shirt with a black and red hoodie.

She slipped on her sneakers and pulled the hood up, two cat ears adorning her head. She exited Kyoya's room to go in search of…well she didn't know what.

'I should probably thank Ootori-san for saving me.' She thought to herself.

Walking the vast halls, she became lost in her thoughts, with her eyes lowered to the ground. Not until she smacked into something, sending her sprawling to the ground, did she look up.

"O-Ootori-san." She stuttered. He helped her to her feet.

"Are you alright?" He asked. "Y-yes." She bowed deeply. "I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me. If it wasn't for you and Kyoya-senpai…I don't know what would have become of me." She told him. "It's quite alright. I've known you almost all of your life, what else could I have done?" He pointed out.

She managed a semblance of a smile and he smiled slightly back before continuing on his way. She watched him go, and was about to continue on her way when she almost ran into someone else. Kyoya stood before her, dressed and hair neatly brushed with his glasses in place.

"When did you take a shower?" She asked. "Since you were taking so long, I used one of the guest bathrooms." He answered. "Oh, gomen." She apologized quietly. "Now, Tamaki and the others have planned a weekend beach trip, and we're both invited." He informed. She sighed.

"I don't really feel like going." She said in a monotone. He adjusted his glasses.

"Haruhi is going too." He tried to persuade her. "Poor Haruhi." She said irritably as she began to walk by him. "Tsukiko." She stopped in her tracks at his tone of voice, it was a bit darker than normal.

"You know, you do still belong to me." He reminded her. She scowled.

"So?" She responded, facing his back with her arms crossed. "So, as your owner, I'm telling you that you're going." He said, turning to face her. She glared at him.

"And you do owe me." He added. Her gaze hardened into rock.

"I hate you." She grumbled.

He simply smirked in triumph.


	12. Chapter 12

Tsukiko sat on a towel on the soft sandy beach, the cool sea breeze gently blowing her dark locks around her porcelain face. She watched Tamaki, the twins, Honey and Mori splash around in the cool, refreshing water. She looked over to the snack bar where Kyoya sat with his laptop. He seemed to be in thought, even as his fingers moved swiftly over the keys, and she wondered what he was thinking. Probably what he planned to order her to do next, she had half a mind to shove his tongue down his throat. Yes, she was feeling rather violent today. Haruhi glanced at the girl beside her.

"Are you alright, Tsukiko-chan?" She asked, concerned. She settled her dark, brooding gaze on Haruhi.

"I'm fine." She said in a monotone. "Are you sure? You seem kind of…distant." She pointed out. "Really, I didn't notice." She said with a sarcastic edge. "Come on, something must've happened yesterday, what was it?" She asked. "It was nothing." Tsukiko lied. "I don't believe you." She said.

'Of course you don't.' Tsukiko thought with a mental sigh.

"I really don't want to talk about it." She said. "Alright, but you shouldn't let it ruin your fun." Haruhi told her. She sighed heavily.

"I know." She responded.

She just couldn't shake this lifeless feeling, it had so easily caught her in its grasp and consumed her like a fatal disease, killing all of her happy emotions. Honey bounced over with Mori in tow.

"Hey, Tsu-chan! Come play with us in the water!" He chirped. "No, thanks, Honey-senpai. I don't want to get wet." She told him dully. "But it's so hot out here!" He pointed out. "It's not too hot under this umbrella." She told him. "Pleaseee." He begged with big pleading eyes.

Was he extra annoying today, or was she just in a terrible mood? She wasn't sure, but she was sure he was getting on her nerves. She glared at him, and it must've been quite murderous because he cowered back and hid behind Mori.

"Don't worry, Honey-senpai, Tsukiko's just not in a good mood today." Haruhi assured him and he nodded. Mori put him on his shoulders and carried him to the snack bar.

"I've never seen you like this before." Haruhi said. Tsukiko sighed, laying back on the beach towel.

"I'm just in such a terrible mood." She admitted. "Did you even want to come?" Haruhi asked. "Not really." She answered. Haruhi gave the black haired girl a questioning look.

"Long story." She mumbled.

Haruhi sighed a bit and the two passed the next few hours having very one sided small talk. Haruhi was glad when lunch time came around, she was able to escape Tsukiko's cloud of gloom for a little while. As everyone gathered around for food at the snack bar, she stayed where she was, staring up at the underside of the umbrella dejectedly. She didn't hear the footsteps approaching her until they were standing in front of her.

"Why so gloomy?" Kaoru asked her. She sat up, looking at the two devils.

"I'm not gloomy." She said, crossing her arms, though her voice was overflowing with unhappiness. "Liar." They both said.

She scowled at their identical faces. Hikaru offered her a drink. She looked at it; it was a strawberry smoothie with a slice of orange. She looked up at him.

"What is this for?" She asked. "I thought it might make you feel better, it is your favorite." He responded.

She took it from him and sipped it. It was like heaven to her taste buds.

"How did you know it was my favorite?" She asked, a little curious. "Lucky guess?" He offered, scratching the back of his head with a light blush. The truth was, he had watched her so much, paid so much attention to her that he probably knew more about her than any of the other hosts.

"Why aren't you in a bathing suit like the rest of us?" Kaoru asked, looking over her shorts and t-shirt.

She shrugged. The twins looked at each other and smirked evily as she sipped on her smoothie. They both captured her and began dragging her away, Hikaru catching her smoothie before it spilled.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" She protested, struggling in their grasp.

They grinned, ignoring her cries and dragging her over to the dressing room. They pushed her inside and Kaoru shoved a bunch of bathing suits at her.

"Change!" They both demanded.

She frowned as they stood guard outside the door so she couldn't escape, and looked over her choices. She settled on a purple two piece and shoved out of the dressing room.

"Happy now?" She asked, crossing her arms.

They turned and looked at her. Kaoru smiled and Hikaru could only stare. He'd never seen her like this before. The bathing suit showed off her slender curves and smooth skin. He found his palms tingling with the want to touch her, to see if she felt the way she looked, like silk.

"Let's go swimming." Kaoru said. "I don't want to get wet." Tsukiko complained. Kaoru grabbed her arm, as not to hurt her hand, and after a moment of recovery, Hikaru grabbed her wrist and they began dragging her towards the water.

"Nooo! You guys, knock it off!" She said, tugging on her limbs.

They ignored her and suddeny Tamaki came up behind her and began tickling her. She busted out in laughter, pulling on her arms to get free from the twins but they held her in place.

"No, stop! Stop!" She begged, her eyes beginning to tear up. "Not until you promise you'll be in a better mood!" Tamaki said as he continued to tickle her. "Neverrr!" She yelled through her laughter. "Then I refuse to stop tickling you." He told her. She endured it for a few minutes more, tears sticking to her thick eye lashes.

"Ok, ok! I give up, I give up! I'll be in a better mood!" She laughed. They released her and she took a moment to catch her breath and wipe her eyes.

"You're such a jerk!" She said, splashing Tamaki with cool water.

He laughed and thus commenced the splash fight. Just like that, her friends were able to reach into the black abyss she had been thrown into, and pull her out into the sunshine, literally.


End file.
